Flask for molding concrete blocks.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

'J. HAMM. FLASK FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED IBB.28, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLASK FOR MOLDING CONCRETE- BLOCKS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28. 1905. Serial No. 247,672,

Patented Jan. .16, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HAMM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flasks for Molding Concrete Blocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved flask for use in molding con- 'crete blocks and bricks; and to this end the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter de.

scribed, and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the improved flask. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 00 x of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 indicates a flat bed-plate upon which is mounted a pair of laterallyspaced vertically-disposed end plates 2, provided with foot-flanges3, that have dovetailed engagement at 4 with said bed-plate, and, as shown, are adapted to be rigidly held where set by set-screws 5, screwed through said flanges and impinging on said bed-plate.

Extending at aright angle to and between the end plates 2 is a vertically-disposed laterallyadjustable side plate 6, having foot-flanges 7.

These foot-flanges 7 have dovetailed en-.

gagement at 8 with the bed-plate, and setscrews 9 work through said flanges and impinge upon said bedplate to securely hold side plate in whatever position it may be set. Near their forward edges the side plates 2 are formed with vertical slots 10, the tops of which are spanned by short tie-bars 11. Mounted for vertical movements in the slots 10 are bearing-boxes 12, in which is journaled a rock-shaft 13, having at one end an operating-lever 14:. Adjusting-screws 15 work with threaded engagement through the tie-bars 11 and are swiveled at their lower ends one to each of the adjustable bearingboxes 12. Rigidly secured to the rock-shaft 13 between the side plates 2 is a plurality of L-shaped levers 16, to the lower arm of which by means of short nutted bolts 17 is rigidly but detachably secured a plate 18, that forms Loosely placed the bottom of the flask.

against the vertical arms of the levers 16 is a Elate 19, that forces the removable side of the ask.

When the parts are adjusted, as shown in the drawings by full lines, the flask is in condition to receive the plastic concrete which is to form the block. When the block has been formed, the lever 14 should be forced downward into a horizontal position, thereby turning the side plate 19 into a horizontal position and the bottom plate into a vertical p6- sition. This being done, the side plate 19, with the formed block, may be lifted off by the arms of the levers 16 and together may be carried away. For the next block another removable side plate 19-is of course placed in working position.

As is evident, the flask described is capable of adjustments to form blocks of different sizes. To vary the depth of the block, the bearing-boxes 12, together with the rockshaft 13 and the bottom plate 18, are adjusted vertically by means of the screws 1.5, and such adjustments of course require the use of removable side plates 19 of diflerent width. The width of the block may be varied by lateral adjustments of the side plate 6, and such adjustments of course require the use of bottom plates 18 of different widths. The length of the block may be varied by means of adjustments of one of the end plates 2 with respect to the other, and such adjustments, as is evident, require the use of plates 18 and 19 0f different lengths.

To form bricks or a plurality of small blocks, vertical dividing-plates 20 (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1) may be secured to the bed-plate 1 and arranged to work through slots in said bottom plate 18, and for this work narrow side boards 19 will usually be required.

When it is desired to form a block with a rough outer face, the removable side board 19 should have its inner face formed with indentations or roughened surface, which will give the proper or desired face to the block. Blocks which are to be used at the corner of a structure also require to have one end roughened or formed in imitation of stone, and to accomplish this result a thin loose end plate 21, having a roughened inner surface, is placed loosely against one of the end plates 2, as indicated in Fig. 1. This supplemental end plate, when the movable parts of the flask are turned in the dotted-line position, (indicated in Fig. 3,) will either fall from working position or may be easily removed from the block.

The device described while extremely simple and of small cost may be operated with great rapidity and afl'ords means for a large range of adjustment.

From what has been said it will be understood that the device described is capable of modification within the scope of my invention, as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with end plates 2 and a side plate 6, of a rock-shaft mounted for vertical adjustments and provided with a lever for rocking it, and a bottom plate and a side plate carried by said rock-shaft to and from operative position, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with laterally-adjustable end and side plates 2 and 6 respectively, of a mounted in said bearings and provided with an operating-lever 14 and with L-shaped levers 16, and a bottom plate 18 and side plate 19, mounted on and carried by said levers 16, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN I'IANIM.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. MABEY, F. D. MERCHANT. 

